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Grist for the Muse #32 -- October 2006
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mich-@flashwriting.com
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Oct 11, 2006 15:07 PDT
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Issue # 32 October 2006
In this issue:
* Musings
* Blogs, Blogs, BLOGS!
* Writing Jumpstarts
* Shameless Self Promotion
"When I face the desolate impossibility of writing 500 pages, a sick sense
of failure falls on me, and I know I can never do it. Then gradually, I
write one page and then another. One day's works is all I can permit myself
to contemplate."
- John Steinbeck
Musings
Every writing project is overwhelming. When I finally decide to start a new
project, no matter what it is, I have a moment where I ask myself where I
feel my stomach flutter and a heaviness in my chest. The closest feeling I
can compare to it is the anxiousness before the first day of school as a
child; a mixture of excitement and dread. The thrill of learning new
things, mixed with regret for the loss of freedom. If you look at it as
one huge task, it is daunting. But as soon as you take a closer look at it,
break it down into smaller tasks, begin one of those tasks until you finish
it, and move on to the next task, and so on. Pretty soon you notice that
you have a chapter done, then two, then ten, and then you have a first draft
completed, then a second, then a final, and the next thing you know, you are
shopping around for agents and publishers.
This is at the heart of what my next project is about: The 15-Minute Writer:
How to Achieve Your Creative Writing Dreams in 15 Minutes a Day. This book
will help you develop the skills necessary to be come an excellent writer,
teach you how to break down these huge writing tasks into manageable
15-minute tasks, and show you how to manage your time to get these tasks
done. To see how the process works, check out my blog for the book that
will show how the book is getting written, from book proposal to final
publication: http://15minutewriter.blogspot.com/.
I have also started a blog for Grist for the Muse at
http://gristforthemuse.blogspot.com/. These blogs will feed this
newsletter's content with insights and info, entertainment and writing
exercises. The Grist for the Muse newsletter will simply become a Readers
Digest version of the blogs, condensing some of the best stuff captured
throughout the month. They are starting out a bit slow, since these past
couple of months have been so crazy, but they will be a big part of my
upcoming projects and classes.
There was a great series of interviews this month in
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032542/site/newsweek/> Newsweek about the
lessons that successful women have learned, and Martina Navratilova response
really struck a chord with me about how a writer must approach the craft:
"Athletes just do not quit until they get it right, whether it is shooting
free throws or practicing serves or practicing one particular shot. It is
getting up when you don't feel like getting up for your training session, it
is going to bed early even though you want to go out with your friends, it
is only drinking half a beer when you really want to drink two. Everything
it takes to get to your goal-that's the mentality of an athlete or a
successful human being. Period.
I think we know when we are letting ourselves off the hook. If you look in
the mirror and you really look yourself in the eye, the image you see forces
you to be honest with yourself. As a result, you'll make the right choices."
To read the full interview (and the rest of the interviews), click here:
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14870681/site/newsweek/?page=2>
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14870681/site/newsweek/?page=2
I often see parallels between athletics and writing. Both depend on hours
and hours of practice and preparation before you see a hint of success. They
both depend on making sacrifices to position themselves for a chance at
success. Anyone who wants to write... who really wants to write... makes the
hard choices to turn off the TV and miss the latest episode of The Office,
lets the dishes sit in the sink (unwashed), passes up lunch with a group of
co-workers, and gets the writing done. Not only on that one day, but
tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and so on.
--Michael
Although the website is still under construction, you can now order
JumpStart Jars on the JumpStart Jar website at
http://www.flashwriting.com/jumpstartMain.htm.
Check out the Fabulous Fiction JumpStart Jar. Each jar has hundreds of
unique Characters and Problems that can be combined for thousands of
possible story combinations. Add in some unique Complications, Settings,
Secrets and Styles to increase the number of these story possibilities into
the millions! Having trouble getting started? No problem. Use one of the
provided Provocative Phrases and off you go! To order, simply send an email
to ord-@jumpstartjar.com.
Shameless Self Promotion
Columbus State Visiting Authors Workshops FREE
These Saturday workshops are held on the lower level of Nestor Hall on
Columbus State's downtown campus on Spring Street. All of these workshops
begin at 2 pm lasts about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Columbus State's main campus is located at 550 E. Spring Street at the
intersection of Spring Street and Cleveland Avenue. Nestor Hall is a large
building on campus and is recognizable by its huge arched passageway.
October 14: Michael Wilson, "Creative Thinking for Creative
Writers"
November 11: Michael Wilson, "Dynamic Character Creation"
December 2: Sandra Gurvis, "Making a Career in Writing"
January 13: Michael Wilson, "The 15-Minute Writer: How to
Achieve Your Writing Dreams in 15 Minutes a Day"
February 10: To Be Announced
March 31: Colette Inez, Topic to be announced
Remember that all of these workshops are FREE!
Classes at Upper Arlington Lifelong Learning
The 15-Minute Writer
TIME: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, Saturday
DATE: November 18th
LOCATION: Lower Level Conference Room
COST: $45.00(R), $49.50(NR)
There are three ways to register for classes at UA Lifelong Learning:
* Register online using your MASTERCARD or VISA, click the following
link: <https://parks.uaoh.net/VSIWEBTRAC.HTML>
https://parks.uaoh.net/VSIWEBTRAC.HTML
* Fill out a registration form here:
<http://www.ua-ohio.net/parksrec/lifelong/registration.pdf>
http://www.ua-ohio.net/parksrec/lifelong/registration.pdf and mail it to or
drop it off (with a check or money order) at Lifelong Learning & Leisure,
3600 Tremont Road, Upper Arlington, OH 43221
* Call (614) 583-5333 between 9:30am and 3:30pm weekdays to register
using your VISA or MASTERCARD
Classes at the Decorative Arts Center (the Reese-Peters House) in Lancaster,
Ohio
Character. Conflict and Chaos: The Essentials of Fiction Writing
Audience: Fiction writers of all levels.
Cost: $32 for members and $40 for non-members
Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm
This class teaches you how to create realistic, three-dimensional
characters, establishing interesting situations for them, and unleashing
chaos upon the world you created for dynamic fiction. Some of the topics
explored in the class: creating character sketches, using character
motivation to generate conflict, and keeping your story moving.
Class #1 -- Nov 14th
Class #2 -- Nov 21st
Class #3 -- Dec 5th
Class #4 -- Dec 12th
To register: call (740) 681-1423
Writing Jumpstarts (courtesy of JumpStart Jar)
Quick Topics
* Magician
* Full blast
* Bankruptcy
* Dumbbell
* Trust me
* Suburbia
* Crush
* Shun
* Battery-powered
* Abstract
* Stay in bed
* Liquid metallic
* Floored
* Bible-thumping
Story Starters (Provocative Phrases)
* It was an honest mistake...
* She took out a...
* I'm sorry if this all seems...
* I stood there at the door...
* Keep walking...
* When we first met...
Do you want more prompts? Buy a JumpStart Jar or check out the Grist for the
Muse Blog at <http://gristforthemuse.blogspot.com/>
http://gristforthemuse.blogspot.com/ every Tuesday for Topic Tuesdays and
every Friday for Provocative Phrase Fridays.
The Fine Print
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have and possibly subscribe to it, go to the web at this URL:
<http://www.topica.com/lists/Grist_for_the_Muse>
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SUGGESTIONS or COMMENTS: Please feel free to e-mail me with ideas,
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gri-@flashwriting.com
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SUBMISSIONS: Do you have an event you want to promote? Do you want to see
yourself in print? Send me a short article or writing exercise ideas. I
can't pay you anything yet, but maybe someday soon. Please send an e-mail
with date, time, place, cost and contact information to
gri-@flashwriting.com with SUBMISSION in the subject line. Editor reserves
the right to revise submissions.
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER: Michael Wilson has been teaching creative writing
classes and facilitating writer's groups for almost a decade and was an
award-winning Contributing Editor for The Writer's Block at Suite101.com. He
has a BA (with Honors) in English from Ohio University, and has been a
featured guest speaker at the Thurber House, the Maumee Valley Writer's
Conference and the Columbus Writer's Conference. He is also the publisher
and editor of Grist for the Muse a free monthly creative writing
e-newsletter. His first book: Flash Writing: How to Write, Revise and
Publish Stories Less Than 1000 Words Long, was published in October 2004.
You can get additional information about him at
<http://www.flashwriting.com/> www.flashwriting.com.
Copyright 2006 Michael L. Wilson. All rights reserved.
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